Telegraph display-signal.



F. W. WOOD. TELEGRAPH DISPLAY SIGNAL. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 11, 1909.

Patented Ju1y'15, 1913 6 SHBETS-SHEET 1.

. 1,7 zi afiwaw M P. w. W001). TELEGRAPH DISPLAY SIGNAL. APPLIUATIONFILED PEB.11, 1.909.v 1,067,629. Patented July 15, 1913.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

{June 11 ton Fran/r M Wand QUihwozeo F. W. WOOD. TELEGRAPH DISPLAYSIGNAL. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 11, 1909. LQGZGZQ, Patented July 15,1913.

6 SHEBTb-SHEIJT 3.

Fran/r M w'and J RZMZMW V60 attorney P. W. WOOD. TELEGRAPH DISPLAYSIGNAL.

\ APPLIOATION FILED FEB.11, 1909. 1,067,629.

Patented July 15, 1913.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 4 5n uc nfon Witnesses Pram [Md/00d a6 I 55% Q K Z a F.W. W001} TELEGRAPH DISPLAY SIGNAL. APPLICATION PILBD'FEB.11, 1909.

rammed July 15, 1913.

6 SHEETS$HEET e.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrron FRANK W. WOOD, OF NEWPQBT NEWS, VIRGINIA,ASSIGNOR, BY -1VIES1\TE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO CHABLESCQBY & SON, INC., OFNEW YORK, 1N. -Y., A CORYORATION OF NEW 'YQRK.

TELEGRAPH DISPLAYrSI-GNAL.

Specification of Letterslatent.

Patented July15, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK W. WOOD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Newport News, in the county of Warwick and State ofVirginia, have invented new and useful Improvements in TelegraphDisplay-Signals, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to display signals, and moreparticnlarly to signalsof the telegraph type, by means ofwhich intelligences can be conveyedfrom one station to another.

The invention is especially designed for use as a ships telegraph, butis obviously equally well adapted for the transmission of orders orinformation betweenany two stations whatsoever.

The primary object otthe invention to provide-asystem which shall beabsolutely reliable in operation, and in which a signal received at onestation is repeated back to the sending station.

A further object is to provide a transmitting device comprisingaplurality of circuit controllers so organized and arranged that theymay be simultaneously operated by means of a single lever.

A. still further object of the invention is to provide an improvedreceiver for displaying the signals, and comprising an electric motor ofthe step by step type, and means for controlling the same.

"With the above and other objects in view, and to simplify and improvegenerally upon the details of such apparatus, my invention consists inthe construction .and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, andillustrated in the accompanying drawings in \Vl1lCl 1,-

' Figure l is a front elevation'ot' one form of signaling instrument,complete. Fig. 2 is a central transversesection thereof. Fig. 3 is afront elevation of the mechanism 1113b.- ing up such instrument, thefront wall of the casing being removed. view of the contact drums andassociated gearing. in such instrument. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig.1, but showing a di'tl'erent .torm of signaling instrument. Fig. (3 is acentral, transverse section through the irstrument shown in Fig. 5,)flliS being in elevation. F T is a front elevation of the mechanismcontained in the instrument of the. type shown in Fig. 5, the front wallof the casing being removed. Fig. 8 is a plan Fig. 4 is a plan view ofthe contact drums and associated gearing employed in such instrument.Fig. 9 is a-transverse section of one of the contact drums shown in Fig.4. Fig. 10 is a central, longitudinal section thereof. Fig. 11 is acentral, longitudinal section of one of the drums shown in Fig. 8. .Fig.12 is a side elevation of the motor device forming a part of one otthereceivers. Fig. 13 is a detail view, illustrating the Geneva gearsemployed for driving the drums. Fig. Let is a development of the contactdrum shown in Figs. 9 and 10, and Flg. 15 is a diagram of the electriccircuits connecting two stations between which signals maybe transmittedand received.

In-the. embodiment of-the invention illustratedin the drawings, 1 haveshown the same as constructed for use asan engine revolution telegraphon ship-board. It frequently is desirable for the oflicer in charge ofthe vessel to transmit to the engineer orders as to exactly how manyrevolutions per minute he desiresthe. engine to be run. To this end onesignaling instrument is placed on the bridge, or other convenientlocation, while another instrument is placed in the engine room, the twoinstruments being connected by a suitable insulated cable containing the,wires making up the necessary electrical connections.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and more particularly to Figs. 1 to4, showing one constructionwhich I employ, the signaling instrumenteon'iprises a cylindrical casing 1, having a front plate 2, and a backplate 3,.sccured thereto. The'front plate is provided in its center witha series of sight openings 4;. through which the various signals may bedisplayed. Beneath the openings t is arranged a plate preferably formedof ground glass or other translucent material, and behind this plate ofglass is another plate (3, preferably of metal, the two plates beingsecured to the front wall 2 of the easing as by means of'brackets 7.

Set into the plate 3 is a series of lamp cells 8, arranged in suchconfiguration as to form a monogram capable of producing any requireddigit. Each lamp cell comprises an enlarged body portion, adapted to receive an electric lamp 9, and a narrow or reduced portion adapted to beset into. the plate 6, and to fori'i'ragainst the bacl hand.

5 a, translucent bar of light, constituting a will be hereinafterdescribed.

character element. For the purposes re quired in, the present case, ithas been found necessary to provide only two monograms, as shown irlFig. 1, each capable of forming any digit whatever. These are arrangedin the units and tens places, while the digit in the hundreds placeconsists simply of a pair of cells arranged ,to form the numeral 1,since the present instrument is never required to display a number aslarge as 200.

As shown in Fig.- 1, each. monogramcomprises a pair of rectangles havinga common side, and a diagonal extending be tween opposite corners of oneof said rectangles, thus requiring only eight cells. to form thecomplete monogram, capable of producing any digit. The instrument asshown in Fig. 1, is set so as to display the number 100, and in thiscondition, all of the cells are illuminated, except the diagonal andtransverse cells, which are shown in dotted lines.

The lamps 9 are supported in sockets 10, secured to a metal plate 11,which forms a common return for all of the lamps. This plate 11 issecured to a plate 12 or insulating material, through which plate extendpins contacting with the center of the lamp bases, and provided at theirother ends with nuts 13, forming the other terminals of the lamps. Wiresextend from these terminals to supporting racks 14:, from which theoutgoing wires lead. The plate l2 is preferably supported on a bracket15, secured to the rear wall 8 of the casing.

liflounted upon a shaft 16, journaled in hearings in the bracket"15 andrear wall 3 of the casing, is an operating handle 17, which extends upradially over the edge of the casing, and thence forwardly to the frontwall thereof where it is provided with a pointer 18 cooperating with anannular scale 19 formed on such front wall. Also mounted on the shaft16, inside the casing, is a gear wheel 20, the'purpose of which Securedto this gear wheel is a cam disk 21, preferably formed of insulatingmaterial, and serving to engage a spring 22 (see Fig. 3), so as to closecontacts 23 and for the purpose of operating a signal at the receivingstation, as hereinafter pointed ou The gear wheel 20 meshes with apinion 24.- carried at the end of a shaft 2'7, journaleifl in a bracket26, and on which shaft is mounted a contact .lrum 25 for controlling thecircuits to the receiving device of the signaling lilStill ment atanother station, all as hereinafter more fully described.

Mounted on the shaft 27, at its forward end, is a wheel 28 provided witha pin 28" (see Fig. 13), which cooperates with notche 29"? in a Genevagear 29, mounted on a counter-shaft 30. Also mounted on this shaft 130is a pinion 31, which engages a similar pin l l l l l i l l l l l l l ll ion 32, carried by a shaft 33', also journaled in the bracket 26, andon which is mounted second drum 34-, similar to the drum Rows ofbow-shaped contact springs 35, 36, suitably supported, are arranged tocoon crate with the drums 25 and 34. hereinafter explained. Anadditional contact spring 37, cooperatingwith the drum 25, may also beemployed, if desired, and con nected with a bell circuit, so that thebell will be caused to vibrate as the drum revol ves, so as to indicateto the operator that a signal is'being transmitted.

In Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive, which correspond to Figs. 1 to 4t inclusive,above described, I have illustrated a son'iewhat different form ofsignaling instrument, and forthe sake of clearness I have used the samereference characters wherever possible, priming them where theconstruction of the part is differcnt, or where the part bears adifferent relation to the other parts. lVith this explanation, thegeneral features of. this apparatus will be understood from inspection.

instead, however, of employing an illuminated display signal, I make useof a receiving device comprising a rotary drum having characters formedthereon, and a step by step electric motor for operating such drum. Asin the construction shown in the first four figures, the instrumentshown in Pig. 5 is provided with three sight openings at, correspondingto the units, tons and hundreds places, and in the other construction, Iprovide means for producing any digit wl'iatever in the units and tensplaces, while in the hundreds place, it .s only necessary to produce thedigit 1. For controlling lhis digit, I arrange immediately beneath thecorresponding sight openings a plate 38, having the numeral 1. formedthereon. This plate issupportcd at the end of a lever 39 secured to anarmature 4(, pivoted at 410' to a fixed support. Cotipcrating with thearn'iature 4.0 an electron'iagnet 41, supported by means of a yoke -22attached to the loracket 15. It is obvious that with this construction,the energizing and delincrgizing of the move the plate 38, so as tobringthe nunicral l into and out of the field of vision provided by the sightopening 4. For the units and tens position, however, I have illustratedmotor devices, here designated in their entirety by the numerals 4.3 and43. respectively. Since these are identical in construction, adescription of one will sutlice for both. By reference to Figs. 6 and 12particularly, it will be seen that each such motor device'compriscs adrum 4.3 on which is formed the numerals from 0 to 9. This drum mountedon a shaft l3 supported in the motor frame. Also mounted on this shaftis anarmature 43 having coils 43. Set into each end of the shaft, butinsulated magnet 4]. serves to too shown in Figs. 5 to 8.

therefrom, is apin 43 against the end of which bears a contact spring43, these springs forming the terminals of the armature winding. Theframe of the motor comprises a ring 43 having a number of in-, wardlyprojecting pole pieces 43 around each ofwhich is wo'unda magnetizingcoil 43 These pole pieces constitute the motor field, and byprogressively changing their relative magnetization a rotation of thearmature is produced, as more fully explained hereinafter. p

In the present case, for the sake of illustration, I have shown in Fig.15 two signaling stations each equipped with a signaling instrument, oneof said instruments being of the type shown in Figs. 1 to 4, and theother of said instruments being of the type It is to be particularlynoted that this is for'the purpose of illustration only, since it isequally feasible, and in a number of cases preferable, to employidentically the same type of instrument at both ends of the line.Different'types of circuit controllers are required, however, andconsequently in the drawings I have illustrated in one signalinginstrument a. receiver of the lamp type, and a transmitting device'corresponding to a receiver of the step by step motor type, while inthe other signaling instrument I have illustrated a receiver of the stepby step motor type and a transmitter adapted to'coutrol a receiver ofthe, lamp type. It will, therefore. be understood that in caseinstruments of the same type are used at both ends of the line, theproper transmitter for the type of receiver employed will, of course, bese lected.

.In Figs. 4, 9,10 and 14, I have illustrated a circuit controlleradapted to operate the receiver of the motor type, as illustrated inFigs. 6 and 12. By reference to these figures, it will be seen that eachof the drums 25 comprises a central metallic spider 25, surroundingwhich is a sleeve 2.? of insulating 'n'iatcrial. Over this sleeve issecured a. cylinder 25 of metal, and this in turn is surrounded by asecond sleeve of insulating l'naterial. Over this is superposed a secondmetallic cylinder 25", which is again surrounded by a cylinder 25 ofinsulating ma; terial. To this insulating material 25 are secured thevarious contact strips making up the surface of the cylinder. Suchstrips comprise continuous metallic bands 25* and 25:, located. at theends of the cylinder and intermediate strips 25* to inclusive, formed insections, as clearly shown in Fig. 14. such sections being insulatedfrom each other, except as now described. In order to form the properelectrical connections between the various sections, these strips aresecured by means of screws 25"and-25' to the metallic cylinders 259-and25, respectively. It will be seen that by connecting certain specificstrips or sections to either of these cylinders, any desired strips canbe connected together as required to form-the proper circuits. It may bestated here that the outside strips 25 and 25* are connected to thecylinders 25 and 25 -respectively, and form the positive and negativeterminals of the circuits. Referring again to Fig. 14, which is adevelopment-of the sur face of this drum, the various connectionsbetween the several sections and end strips are indicated by dottedlines. Cooperating with the contact drum 25 is a set of contact fingers35 35 and 35 to 85 inclusive, such contact fingers being connected tothe motor 43 as shown in Fig. 15 and hereinafter more fully explained.It will thusbe apparent that as the drum is shifted, the relativeelectrical connections between the spring fingers will be changed asevery new set of contact strip sections engages the spring fingers.

One of the drums for controlling the lamp type ofreceiver is illustratedin, Fig. 11, This construction is very similar .to that shown in Figs. 9and 10, although simpler. It comprises a spider 46 surrounded by aninsulating sleeve 47, over which I is fitted a metallic cylinder 48.This in turn is surrounded by an insulating sleeve 49 on which thecontact strips are mounted. These strips are also formed in insulatedsections, and certain of the sections are connected with the metalliccylinder 48 by means of screws 50. In thisconnection it may be statedthat the end strip 25 is a continuous band and forms the r amnion returnfor the lamp circuits, while the other strips, designated 25, 25*, etc.,are sectional, and serve in connection with the contact strips 35' toselect the proper lamps.

The operation of the apparatus and system can be best understood from aninspection of Fig. 15, which is a diagrammatic view showing the circuitconnections between a single digit transmitting and displaying device ateach station. words, this figure shows at one station sufiicient lampsfor operating, say the unitmonogram, and at the other station a singlemotor device serving to display the digits of, say the units place,while at each station is shown a single transmitting device for each ofthe corresponding receivers. The motor illustrated is shownas'comprising'five field coils, which I have designated A, B, C, D andE, and a single armature coil 43. The terminals of the armature coil areconnected by means of wires 44 and 44 to the end brushes or contactfingers 35 and 3N, which cooperate with the continuous bands 25* and 25on the drum 25. Electric current is supplied to the system through thewires 44, 45 shown at the right of Fig. 15, and these wires areconnected to the wires 44 and 44 so that In other current is constantlysupplied to the armature coil 43 and to the end rings 25 and 25 on thecontact drum. The armature 4-3 is, therefore, continuously magnetizedand has a polarity as designated, say, by the letters N andS. The insideterminals of all of the field coils are connected together, and theindividual outside terminals of these coils are connected by wires 44,44", etc., with the corresponding contact fingers 35, 35", etc., atstation II. It will thus be seen that, assuming the drum 25 to be insuch a position relative to the contact fingers, that the coils C and-I) of the motor are energized in such a. manner as to render theirinnercnds o't north polarity, while the coil. A is energized in such amanner as to render its inner end of south polarity, the armati'ire willassume the position. shown in the drawings, thus causing a. certaindigit to appear at the sight opening. With the parts in this condition,circuits through the motor may be traced as follows: Beginning at thewire 44 at the loner right hand corner of the figure, current fiows tothe wire ii, thence to the brush 35 thence to the contact strip 25,thence by means of the screw connections shown in Figs. 9 and 10, to thestrip 25", thence out over the brush 35, wire 44 magnet coil A, commonconnection I l y through coil (1, wires 44-, contact brush 30,

contact strip 25, to the metallic cylinder 25 (see Fig. 10), thence tothe contact band 25 contact brush 35", wire 45, to the negativeterminal. (urrcnt also flows from the common. connection I through coilD, wire 4i, contact brush 85", contact strip 25, through the metalliccylinder 25, and out as before, thus energizing the three coils A, l,and If) as a bove described.

When it is desired to bring anew digit to the sight opening, the drum 25is shifted so as to change the circuit connections in such a manner asto vary the relative magnetization of the pole pieces of the motor, andthus cause the armature to assume a new position. In this connection itwill be noted that upon shitting the drum 25 to its next position, thepole pieces A, B and I) will be energized, the inner ends of A and Bbeing south poles and the inner end of pole. I) being a north pole.'lheret'ore, the armature wil take up a position with its north )olehalf wa between the )Ult. views A and .i l l 15. It will thus be seenthat the number 0t positions to which the armature can be set is twiceas great as the number of pole pieces. In the embodiment saown, I haveillustratedthc motor as provided with five pole pieces, and thereforethe armature is capable of assuming ten dillferent positions.

The operator at station I.'upon observing the signal displayed throughthe sight opening in his instrument, may repeat the signal to thetransmitting station, and thus indicate to the operator at station IIthat the signal has been received correctly. This he might do by meansof a duplicate of the apparatus just described, but as shown in thedrawings the instrument at station II is provided with a receiver of thelamp type, and these lamps are controlled by means of the drum 25 atstation I. The contact fingers 35 are connected with the various lamps 9at station .lI, constituting the monogram, by means of wires 45, 45 etc.In order to produce the desired digit in the monogram at station II, theoperator at station I moves his handle 17 to the correct point asindicated by the pointer 18 on the scale 19, and thus sets the contactdrum 25 so as to close the proper circuits through the lamps. Thesecircuits may be traced as follows: Beginning at the positive terminal44, current flows through the wire 4-5 to the contact brush a, andthence to the ring 25 From this ring 25, it is distributed by means ofthe metallic cylinder 48 (see Fig. 11) to the various section-al contactstrips 25 25, etc., and from these strips it is taken up by contactbrushes 7), 0, (Z, etc., and is led through the wires 45', 45", 45,etc., through the corresponding lamps 9 at station II, from which itpasses to the negative terminal 4?.

It is especially to be noted that I employ but a single lever fortransmitting a nam is effected by means of the Geneva gears abovedescribed. By reference to Figs. 1, 3 and 4, for instance, it will beseen that the operating handle 17 is attached to the large gear 20 whichmeshes with the pinion 24, fast onthe shaft of the units drum 25. Thisdrum in turn is geared to the tens drum 34 through the medium of theGeneva gears 28 and 29. Since the wheel 29 has ten teeth, and the wheel28 carries but a single pin, it is obvious that it will require tenrcvolutions of the drum 25 in order to produce one revolution of thedrum 3L. In transmitting any desired number, therefore, the operatinghandle 17 is simply swung around number, whether such number he composedof one, two or three digits. Suppose for example, the number to betransmitted is 125. A movement ofthe operating handle to this positionwill, of course, cause the drum 25 to spin rapidly and for eachrevolution move the drum 34 one tooth. When the handle is stopped at thedesired point, however, it will leave the drum 25 in the proper positionto produce the digit 5 in the units place, and the drum iii in theproper position to produce the digit 2 in the tens place, while the camdisk 21 will have been turned to such position as to close the circuitsat 23 and 523, and thus produce the digit 1 in the hundreds place. Inthe cmi bodiment shown, the contacts 23 and 23* in her comprising threeor more digits. This until the pointer 18 is opposite the desired Fig. 3control the circuit of the magnets 41 in Figs. 6 and 7, and the contacts23 and 23 in Fig. 7 control the circuits to the lamps in the cells 8,which produce the digit 1 in the hundreds place in Fig. 1. It Will beappreciated that the use of a single lever for thus transmitting anydesired order results in a great saving of time and ease ofmanipulation, as distinguished from prior constructions in which threeor more independent levers were employed.

It will thus be seen that I have provided telegraph signal apparatuswhich may be rapidly and accurately operated, and in which peated at thesending station, and it is therefore thought that the numerousadvantages of my invention will be readily appreciated by those skilledin the art.

\Vhat I claim is 1. In a telegraph display signal system, a receiver anda transmitter constructed to mbve in synchronism, said receiverincluding a motor having a plurality of pole pieces,

and said transmitter comprising a contact drum constructed to selectandenergize any all signals transmitted may be reof said pole pieces,said contact drum comprising a pair of concentric conducting cylindersinsulated from each other, and a series of insulated sectional contactstrips, some of said strips being connected to one of said cylinders,and some to the other.

2. In a telegraph display signal system, a receiver and a transmitterconstructed to move in synchronism, said receiver including a motorhaving a plurality of pole pieces, and said transmitter comprisinga'contact drum constructed to select and energize any of said polepieces, said contact drum including in its structure a pair ofcylindrical conductors insulated from each other, and a series ofinsulated sectional contact strips, some of said strips being connectedto one of said conductors, and some to the other.

In testimony whereofl have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

FRANK VJ. WOOD.

Witnesses:

EUGENE E. Loses, ARTHUR K. LAIPENDEN.

